Statewide Advisory Council

About SAC

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 as amended in 2004 requires the establishment of an advisory council comprised of individuals with disabilities who use assistive technology (AT), and/or a family member or guardian of individuals with disabilities, and representatives of specified state agencies. Alabama’s Statewide Advisory Council (SAC) currently has a membership of 21 (with an additional seven considered ex-officio members). Members of the SAC live in counties throughout the state to ensure representation from both rural and urban areas of Alabama and are representative of the racial and ethnic diversity of the state.

Mission: To provide consumer-responsive, consumer-driven advice to the State Assistive Technology Act Program for planning, implementation, and evaluation of the activities carried out through the grant, including setting measurable goals.

Member Composition

Members of the SAC become part of the council in two ways: Agency representatives are appointed by their respective agencies; consumer representatives are volunteers solicited through networks of nonprofit disability organizations, councils, and consumer groups throughout the state. Members are encouraged to serve a three-year term to coincide with the State Plan for the Alabama’s Assistive Technology Act Program. To see a list of members of the SAC, click here.

Council Representation

The Advisory Council, as set forth in AT Act of 1998, as amended in 2004, shall be geographically representative of the state and reflect the diversity of the state with respect to race, ethnicity, and types of disabilities across the age span, and users of types of services that an individual with a disability may receive.

The council shall consist of a majority, not less than 51 percent, of individuals with disabilities who use assistive technology or the family members or guardians of the individuals. The remaining members shall be composed of:

A representative of the state services for the blind

A representative of the centers for independent living

A representative of the State Workforce Investment Board

A representative of the Alabama Department of Education

A representative of the Department of Employment and Economic Development

Representatives of other state agencies, public agencies, or private organizations, as determined by the state